Jigs and jigging devices are generally well known and widely used in manufacture. Typically, a jig will have various reference surfaces and/or points to permit accurate alignment of parts or tools. It is common to jig parts during many manufacturing processes, so that the parts are held in correct juxtaposition during such processes as punching, riveting, welding, gluing or curing. Jigs are regarded as an essential part of the manufacturing process and represent a significant part of the cost of manufacture as well as demanding logistical consideration during production.
Most jigging processes are carried out using jigs which are external to the object being formed. Such prior art jigging processes often require clamps, temporary braces or profiles of the final form of the object.
Some of the problems presented by prior art jigging can be described, by way of example, in connection with the manufacture of steel-framed vehicles. In the manufacture of such vehicles, in this example the frame is tubular and panels for the vehicle are glued to the frame. During the adhesion process, it is necessary to adjust one panel relative to another and to hold the panels in the correct position while the adhesive cures. In the past, this has been achieved by the use of external clamps, etc. There are drawbacks with the use of clamps, however. For example, clamps must be carefully removed and returned to the panel assembly station, complicating production line issues, Often, damage is caused to the panels due to the pressure required to hold the parts together. Clamps do not contribute to the final assembly strength. In addition, their presence precludes painting and access to other production line issues, such as cabling.
In many instances, it is not possible to progress the vehicle along an assembly line until the adhesive has cured. This results in inefficiency in the manufacturing process, with a costly time delay and/or the need for multiple adhesive stations.